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sale of food & drugs acts.
pared with 1.3 and 26.9 respectively in 1922. The samples obtained from retailers (116) included 1
adulterated, less than 1 per cent. In 1922 no adulterated sample was obtained from this source.
Cream.—The 13 samples of cream included 6 of "preserved" cream. In each instance the Regulations
as to declaration of the amount of preservative added, and as to the proportion of fat contained,
were strictly complied with.
Preservatives in Foods.—In February, 1923, a Report by the Medical Officer of Health on the use
of preservatives in foodstuffs was presented to the Public Health Committee. The Report was based
on the results of inquiries addressed to the Medical Officers of Health of County Boroughs, Administrative
Counties and of the Metropolitan Cities and Boroughs. Data as to the numbers of samples taken
during 1919-21 found to contain preservatives were received from 109 areas, of which 95 contained
information which could be used for the Report. In 18 instances the replies were to the effect that no
samples had been taken for the detection of preservatives on account of the great uncertainty attaching
to proceedings with respect to samples found to be "preserved." The replies gave not only the
number of samples of each commodity found to contain preservatives but the variations in the proportions
of preservative contained in such samples. To the Report there was appended a recommendation
that the Minister of Health should be asked to exercise the powers vested in him by Sec. 1
of the Public Health (Regulations as to Food) Act, 1907, under which he could issue Regulations
either prescribing the nature and quantity of preservative permissible in each class of food or absolutely
prohibit the use of preservatives.
The Report was submitted by the Committee to the Council with a recommendation following
that set out in the preceding paragraph and a second recommendation that the Report should be
circulated to the Councils of Administrative Counties, County Boroughs and Metropolitan Cities and
Boroughs, and that such Councils should be asked to support the application to the Minister of Health.
The Committee's recommendations came before the Council on 27th February, but were referred back.
They were re-submitted on 27th March and adopted.
The Report was freely quoted in the papers, and during the ensuing months 70 replies endorsing
the Council's resolution were received from the Councils to whom the Report was circulated. In
reply to a question in the House in May, the Minister of Health stated that a Committee was to be
appointed to enquire into the subject of the use of preservatives and colouring matters in foods. The
Committee was appointed during July, the reference being in the following terms:—
To enquire into the use of preservatives and colouring matters in food and to report—
(1) Whether the use of such materials or any of them for the preservation and colouring of food is
injurious to health ; and, if so, in what quantities does their use become injurious ; and
(2) Whether it should be required that the presence of such materials and the quantities present in food
offered or exposed for sale should be declared.
The Committee did not begin taking evidence until the autumn. The Medical Officer of Health
attended for that purpose on November 2nd.
Arsenic in Borax.—A sample of commercial borax was found to contain 1½ arts per million of
oxide of arsenic (As2O3. The attention of the wholesale vendor was called to the fact, who in turn
communicated with the maker's agents. The latter submitted a sample—obtained from the retailer
from whom the original sample was purchased—to the City Analyst of Liverpool, who confirmed the
presence of arsenic but disagreed as to the proportion present. The makers expressed themselves as
unable to explain why " the arsenic test in this case came above what it should be, their own chemist
certified it (sic) in conformity with the Pharmacopoeia," the prescribed limit being one of less than 5
parts per million. Steps were being taken to prevent a similar occurrence.
RATS AND MICE (DESTRUCTION) ACT, 1919.
Complaints of infestation by rats and mice numbered 75 last year, as compared with 106 in 1922,
and 59 in 1921. In 2 instances the complaints referred to mice and of the 73 relating to rats 6 were
found to relate to "strays" only, and action by the Department was deemed to be unnecessary. In
all other instances the drains, including the portions extending from the curtilages of the houses to the
sewers, were examined. Similar inspections were made of the houses immediately adjacent to the
house whence the complaint came. In 50 instances repair or reconstruction of the "sewer connections"
were found to be necessary, and at 18 houses the drains within the curtilages of the houses had
to be reconstructed. Two notices under the Act were served during the year.
Rat Week.—The Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries fixed the week ending November 11th for
the annual intensive campaign. The procedure adopted was that described in previous Reports.
At the end of the week the Borough Engineer and Surveyor reported that baits had been laid at
477 places in the public sewers, the total number of baits being 3,528. All the baits were taken and 61
dead rats were collected. The baits laid last year were nearly double the number laid in 1922, viz.,
1,938. The dead rats collected that year numbered 9 only.